In the field of golf, it is well-known that golf bags are utilized to carry golf clubs and to keep those golf clubs organized while they are used and transported on the golf course during a round of golf.
Traditionally, golf clubs are carried in golf bags carried about a golf course by either the golfers themselves or by their caddies. Such bags are typically constructed to include an oval or rounded tubular golf club compartment as well as a number of externally disposed pockets or other smaller compartments for carrying golf related items such as golf tees, golf balls, scorecards, and pencils for completing score cards. Depending on the quality and cost of the particular golf bag, the golf club compartment is constructed of a unitary ovoid or circular piece of plastic and includes a club divider on its open end, an encapsulating plastic shell which contains the smaller storage compartments, and a stand which extends outward from a side of the bag to assist in positioning the bag in a standing position while one of the clubs from the bag is in use. Alternatively, the bag is constructed to include a multi-sectional golf club compartment which is divided into a number of lined cavities that extend the length of the golf bag and enable the separate grouping of the golf clubs, and a sewn shell surrounding the club compartment for storing golf accessories, including a golf umbrella, a ball retriever, a rain suit, and even a pair of golfer""s shoes.
The present invention is directed towards any golf club bag and club system in which the golf club bag has an open end having a collar having color coding over areas of the collar for the rapid identification of the position to store different types of golf clubs in groups. The golf clubs are then color coded to match the color coding on the golf bag collar. The collar can be of any material normally used on golf bags or, for example, the golf bag collar may have self-lubricating polymer inserts positioned in each opening therein which are color coded and which protect the shaft of the golf club upon insertion and removal of the golf club from the golf club bag.
Prior U.S. patents for golf club bags which include means for sorting the golf clubs stored therein and which utilize golf club separating golf bag collars may be seen in the following patents. The Suk U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,490 is for a club separating golf bag collar which physically separates the golf clubs to help prevent contact between the golf club head. The Isabel U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,102 is for a golf club bag having a head with apertures to accommodate a set of inverted golf clubs. The head portion has various shaped openings therein positioned so that the irons are inhibited from rotational movement and to provide a convenient balance and weight distribution of the golf clubs. The Graziano, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,507 is for a golf bag having a mouth-shaped as a truncated triangle so that the golf clubs are presented in an orderly, easily visible array to make the clubs easy to select. The Harkrader U.S. Pat. No. 2,938,559 is a golf holder for golf bags in which a collar is inserted onto a golf bag and connected to individual tubes for holding the shafts of golf clubs. The Solhein U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,328 is a throat structure for a golf club bag.
The following U.S. patents are directed towards golf club bags in which the supporting collars on the top of the golf club bags are separated with different levels for sorting and protecting the clubs. The Antonious U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,533 is a golf club holder insert for a golf bag which has separate compartments on different levels. The Joh U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,248 is a golf club divider assembly for use with a golf club bag having individually adjustable club head covering members. The Reimers U.S. Pat. No. RE 33,203 is a golf club device including an interior divider with full length club storage compartments. The Stratton U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,199 is a golf bag with club separator formed on different levels.
It has also been known in the past to color code golf balls, such as shown in the Benson U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,330 for a golf course, golf balls, and method of play. The Rich et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,240 is for a golf bag with individual club head support pockets for positioning each golf club in its own compartment within the golf club bag. The Wood U.S. Pat. No. 2,551,780 is for a golf bag for holding a plurality of golf clubs in which a series of numerals are placed along the upper surface for identifying the position of the different golf clubs.
The present invention is directed towards a golf club bag and golf clubs which are color coded in such a fashion that different grouping of clubs are maintained in different zones of the golf bag by the golf bag collar to allow the rapid insertion and removal of the golf clubs. The golf clubs can be color coded on the golf club shaft next to the head to match the color coding on the collar of the golf club bag. In addition, the golf club collar can have self-lubricating polymer inserts which are also color coded to assist and prevent damage to the golf club shafts.
The present invention relates to golf bags for holding golf clubs and to the golf clubs used in playing a game of golf and more particularly to a golf club bag having a club separating collar and to golf clubs color coded for rapid identification of the golf club in the golf club bag. A golf club bag and club system has a golf bag having an open end for holding a plurality of inverted golf clubs along with a plurality of golf clubs for storage in the golf bag. The golf bag has a golf bag collar covering the open end which has a plurality of openings therein with each opening being sized to hold one golf club shaft therethrough. The collar has a plurality of areas or zones surrounding a plurality of the openings therein which are color coded for identification of golf club types to allow the placement of each of the golf clubs in a predetermined area and each golf club has color coding thereon, such as on the shaft adjacent the golf club head, to match one of the colors on the golf bag collar for rapid identification of golf clubs and for ease in removal and replacement of the golf club in the golf club bag. The golf club collar can have a self-lubricating polymer TEFLON insert placed in each opening within the collar for color coding the opening as well as preventing damage to the golf club shaft on inserting and removing a golf club from the golf club bag and due to rotational motion of the shaft relative to the bag during a change in position of the bag or during transit vibration.